Comparative Essay On The Great Gatsby

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The world that characters inhabit have a huge impact on how they adapt to the culture or how they meet expected standards of them within that culture. These increasing pressures to behave according to these standards can lead to different forms of conflict. The three texts I have chosen for my comparative study are 'The Great Gatsby' by F.Scott Fitzgerald, 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte and 'The Plough And The Stars' by Sean O'Casey Beginning with Emily Bronte's timeless classic WH, Heathcliffe from the outright faces prejudices for his background as a gypsy. This discrimination displays itself in the forms of bullying, taunting and an expected role for him to play in his household. Heathcliff copes well until his expected role is …show more content…

Daisy, Tom Buchans' perfect trophy wife, attempts to break free from the shcackles many women of her era are trapped in. Daisy is all too aware of Toms' marital affairs and for basic self-respect Daisy had every right to divorce Tom but her expected role is that of a commodity and to stay loyal to her husband no matter how his behaviour and actions harm her. This boils over into Daisy seeking to find true love again and affair with Gatsby, this rebellion against her fit in the society she inhabits embroils the play in chaos and conflict. This is mirrored in TPATS and projects itself through Nora Clitheroe. Much like in TGG Nora's' role is to obey her husband and stay at home. The first glimpse we see of this is as Nora attempts to run to Jack in the rebellion only to be restrained by Fluther and asked 'what are you more than any other woman?'. Jack shrugs off Nora and ignores her, which could be disputed that he felt embarrassed in front of the crowd, but in my opinion this further exemplifies the expected role Nora was expected to play, not to embarrass her husband with displays of affection especially in public. Nora constantly argues about the pitfalls of war and how she just wants Jack to come home and stop fighting, the expectation of her in the text was to be outlandishly proud of Jack risking his life for his country but Nora refused to accept her role as proud housewife. "I'm ashamed of ya Nora, a man must